Students and Young Professionals Are the Future! [President’s Column]

Last December, before beginning my term as president of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S), I had the privilege of representing our Society at the 11th Tunisian Students and Young Professionals (TSYP11) Congress. TSYP11 was a large event organized by the IEEE Tunisia Section, attracting more than 1,200 students and young professionals (YPs) from all IEEE Student Branches of Tunisia. This event was entirely organized and managed by students and included plenary panel sessions, technical sessions, competitions, and social events (
Figure 1
). I was overwhelmed by the passion and energy of these young people, who enthusiastically welcomed their many Tunisian colleagues as well as international guests from several IEEE Societies. The MTT-S also had a booth in the exhibition area, which drew the attention of numerous students, particularly undergraduates, who were curious to learn about the activities of the MTT-S and the opportunities we provide for students.